Tim Hockenberry – Back in Your Arms

Sometimes the postman leaves gold in the mailbox. Brought to my attention by Mike Regan, the guy that used to manage Jacqui Naylor, I had a good feeling about this.

After a quick look at the jacket photo, I was not prepared for the voice on the disc inside. Hockenberry looks a lot more like a movie star than someone with so much soul. While he’s been compared to Joe Cocker, Hockenberry is a bit more accessible, without giving up anything stylistically.

Back in Your Arms is a mix of original songs and some pretty well known covers. Considering the strength of Hockenberry’s originals, I hope that his next release is completely his own, this guy has more than enough talent to carry his compositions. My favorite track was 100 MPH, a song about escaping a failed relationship.

What makes this record such a success is the way Hockenberry, bridges the gap between tugging at you emotionally without being corny, combining a great feel on the keyboard with the slightest touch of twang creeping in now and then. To top it all off, the recording is very tastefully done, with a lot of air and depth, so the audiophiles in the crowd will dig this one too.

Tim Hockenberry

American Pianist/Singer/Songwriter

Tim Hockenberry is a multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, Trombone, Vocals), songwriter as well as a gifted interpreter of well-known cover songs.

Tim gained national fame when he performed and made it to the semi-finals (last singer standing) on America’s Got Talent in 2012. He was a favorite of judge Howard Stern.

Tim Hockenberry's voice is reminiscent of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and Tom Waits, but you only need to hear a few bars of Hockenberry singing "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" to understand that this is an artist who has a refreshingly authentic approach to great songs.

He has shared the stage with performers such as Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, and Robert Cray and has established himself as one of the most compelling and important artists in the Bay Area music scene.

In addition to touring with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, Tim has performed at high-profile venues all over northern California, such as The Fillmore, the Great American Music Hall, Bimbo's 365 Club, The Napa Valley Opera House, the Rrazz Room, the Luther Burbank Center for the Performing Arts and the 142 Throckmorton Theater. He has also headlined at a multitude of festivals including the Robert Mondavi Summer Concert Series, the Clearwater Jazz Festival and the Mill Valley Arts Festival.